FAQs

IDE Disk Drive Related

1. Can I use a Fujitsu IDE Disk drive in my system?
2. How do I install a Fujitsu IDE drive in my PC-AT compatible system?
3. In CMOS, FDISK, Windows File Manager and Windows Explorer, my IDE disk reports smaller capacity than the number of bytes reported by CHKDISK. Why?
4. I am interested in the Cable Select Mode Setting cable. Where can I get the cable?
5. I installed a new Fujitsu IDE drive, but drive does not boot up. What's wrong with it?
6. How do I configure a Fujitsu IDE drive that exceeds 528 MB in capacity?
7. Where can I get a copy of Ontrack Disk Manager for Fujitsu Disk Drives?
8. I installed a new Fujitsu IDE drive with greater than 4095 cylinders (more than 2.1GB in capacity), but my system does not recognize it. What's wrong with it?
9. Does my MPA30xxAT support Ultra ATA interface?
10. Windows 98 would not enable DMA access for my MPD3xxxAT hard disk drive. What shall I do?

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A. Can I use a Fujitsu IDE Disk drive in my system?

If your computer is PC-AT or compatible and has a 40-pin IDE interface connector on the motherboard or an IDE host adapter, this Fujitsu drive will work on your system.

B. How do I install a Fujitsu IDE drive in my PC-AT compatible system?

1. Set option switches and jumpers; follow the instruction a) for installing the drive as a master, or b) for a slave.
   
   1. Factory-adjusted setting is the most appropriate one for master drive installation.
   2. If the drive is added as a slave, adjustment 1) or 2) is required (which depends on the type of master drive).
      
      1. Set the master drive as "slave present", and then set switches/jumpers of the newly added one as appropriate for "slave".
      2. Just set switches/jumpers of the newly added one as appropriate for "slave". Leave the master as it is.
2. Connect the drive to the controller; please make sure that pin 1 of its interface connector (closest one to the power connector) is connected to the correct position of the host controller. There is a one-to-one correspondence between the pins of interface connector and the socket of the host connector.
3. Plug the power cable into the drive power receptacle.
4. Place setup disk or system disk with DOS FDISK and FORMAT programs in the floppy drive and power the system on.

C. In CMOS, FDISK, Windows File Manager and Windows Explorer, my IDE disk reports smaller capacity than the number of bytes reported by CHKDISK. Why?

Because there are two different definitions of a megabyte and a gigabyte. Hard disk drive capacity is calculated by taking the number of Cylinders x Heads x Sectors x 512 bytes per sector. Hard disk drive manufacturers define a megabyte as equaling 1,000,000 bytes and CHKDSK calculates based on this value as well. However, your system's CMOS, FDISK, Windows File Manager and Windows Explorer calculate disk capacity based on a megabyte equaling 1,048,576 bytes. Therefore different utilities might report different capacities for the same drive.

D. I am interested in the Cable Select Mode Setting cable. Where can I get the cable?

This is a special cable. Please contact our Sales and Support Offices for more information. Note: this setting also requires support from the manufacturer of your PC system or its controller.

E. I installed a new Fujitsu IDE drive, but drive does not boot up. What's wrong with it?

1. If your system does not have auto detecting capabilities, you have to set BIOS parameters as appropriate for your drive after setting switches and jumpers. Most models have the capabilities to allow the systems to detect the newly installed drive automatically.
2. Try to run the FDISK and FORMAT programs from the DOS system prompt to set the drive partitions and to install system boot files and applications.

F. How do I configure a Fujitsu IDE drive that exceeds 528 MB in capacity?

A BIOS or IDE controller that supports LBA or extended disk addressing for DOS is required. If you cannot have either, a program called Ontrack Disk Manager for Fujitsu Disk Drives can be used to obtain the full capacity of the drive. Instead of FAT format, OS/2 and HPFS format will also help you to have full capacity.

G. Where can I get a copy of Ontrack Disk Manager for Fujitsu Disk Drives?

Contact our distributors for a copy of this program. If it is not available from them, please contact Sales and Support Offices in your local area. This item is not downloadable here.

H. I installed a new Fujitsu IDE drive with greater than 4095 cylinders (more than 2.1GB in capacity), but my system does not recognize it. What's wrong with it?

There are two key issues when installing a hard disk drive larger than 2.1GB (4,096 cylinders). The first issue is a legacy BIOS. Many existing BIOS do not support large capacity disk drives and the system with this type of BIOS will be locked up when trying to recognize the drive. In this case please ask the system vendor to update its BIOS. Another issue is some BIOS without auto detecting capabilities fail to recognize the volume size greater than 2.1GB. In this case Ontrack Disk Manager for Fujitsu Disk Drives will help you to have full capacity by making more than two partitions on your drive.

I. Does my MPA30xxAT support Ultra ATA interface?

Fujitsu has two different types of MPA30xxAT: one is compatible for the Ultra DMA/33. For this drive, a Parts No. CA01602-B4x100UD is assigned. Another one does not have the Ultra DMA/33 functionality, and it's Parts No. is CA01602-B3xxx.

J. Windows 98 would not enable DMA access for my MPD3xxxAT hard disk drive. What shall I do?

This phenomenon only occurs in the specific system environment configured with some motherboards and certain versions of system BIOS. If you encounter this problem, you will need to upgrade your system BIOS. Please contact the manufacturer of your motherboard and/or system BIOS for more details.